Mon, August 19, 2024

Today marks the halfway point of my 100 Days of Code journey! 🚀 Along with documenting my progress, I love sharing learning hacks. One of my new favorites is the Pomodoro Technique, which involves focusing on a single task for 25 minutes, then taking a 5-minute break. After four cycles, you take a longer break. This helps maintain focus and prevent burnout.

I’ve tried several Pomodoro timers from the App Store, and two stand out: Bluebird and Tomato 2. Both are excellent productivity tools, but they cater to different needs:

• Bluebird: This app is feature-rich and visual. It has a unique feature where you cannot pause the timer, encouraging continuous progress. It also offers a reminder every 5 minutes with a small heart icon. While the free version is ample, a paid version is available.
• Tomato 2: This app is simpler and completely free. It excels in session management, allowing quick access to add 5 minutes or start a short or long break. I really like its session end notifications. Both apps provide a timer in the macOS menu bar, which is great for staying focused amidst distractions like teenagers at home.

One aspect of learning I miss online is tackling big challenges. Online learning can sometimes feel overly determined. Codecademy does a stellar job of integrating various elements to make learning seamless, but I miss the big projects where you break down tasks and assemble them over a term.

Fortunately, we’re starting an early iteration of a portfolio project coming up, and there’s also a number-related project in the works. As I become more fluent in JavaScript, I’ll also begin with entry-level code challenges. I expect this will boost engagement and break down some of the boundaries in our assignments.